Georgia

National name: Sak'art'velo

President: Mikhail Saakashvili (2004)

Prime Minister: Zurab Nogaideli (2005)

Minister of State: Avtandil Jorbenadze (2001)

Total area: 26,911 sq mi (69,700 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 4,661,473 (growth rate: –0.3%); birth rate: 10.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 18.0/1000; life expectancy: 76.1; density per sq mi: 173

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Tbilisi, 1,440,000 (metro. area), 1,240,200 (city proper)

Other large cities: Kutaisi, 268,800; Batoumi, 145,400; and Sokhumi, 110,300

Monetary unit: Lari

Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azerbaijani 6%, other 7% (Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia)

Ethnicity/race: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002)

Religions: Orthodox 84%, Islam 10%, Armenian-Gregorian 4%, Catholic 1% (2002)

Literacy rate: 99% (1999 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $15.55 billion; per capita $3,300. Real growth rate: 7%. Inflation: 8%. Unemployment: 12.6% (2004 est.). Arable land: 11%. Agriculture: citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock. Labor force: 2.04 million (2004 est.); industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40% (1999 est.). Industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine. Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth. Exports: $1.4 billion (2005 est.): scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine. Imports: $2.5 billion (2005 est.): fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals. Major trading partners: Turkey, Turkmenistan, Russia, Armenia, UK, Azerbaijan, Germany, Ukraine, U.S. (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 650,500 (2003); mobile cellular: 522,300 (2003). Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998). Internet hosts: 5,160 (2004). Internet users: 150,500 (2003).

Transportation: Railways: total: 1,612 km (2004). Highways: total: 20,229 km; paved: 18,914 km; unpaved: 1,315 km (2002). Ports and harbors: Bat'umi, P'ot'i. Airports: 30 (2004 est.).

International disputes: Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot resolve the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas.

 

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